Odds & Ends: Damon, White Sox, Wood

The Tigers could be in play for Johnny Damon, tweets SI's Jon Heyman. The 36-year-old has a .961 OPS at pitcher-friendly Comerica Park.

The White Sox formally announced today that they have invited fifteen players to Spring Training – ten of which from within the organization. Outfielder Jordan Danks, younger brother of John Danks, is one of the more notable invitees.

Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com takes a look at the Indians' bullpen in 2010. It should come as no surprise that Kerry Wood and his hefty contract are unlikely to be moved. Wood is set to earn $10.5MM in 2010 with a vesting option for $11MM in 2011 if he finishes 55 games.

Well the Braves seem like a better fit than anybody else. The Yankees just dont seem whilling to spend any money on Damon. The Braves dont have a clear LF and I think Damon would be better than a Diaz/Melky platoon.. And also improves some other aspects of the lineup by moving McLouth to the 2-spot and leaving Yunel in the 6-hole where they both should do better and have more RBI opportunities.

Well the Braves seem like a better fit than anybody else. The Yankees just dont seem whilling to spend any money on Damon. The Braves dont have a clear LF and I think Damon would be better than a Diaz/Melky platoon.. And also improves some other aspects of the lineup by moving McLouth to the 2-spot and leaving Yunel in the 6-hole where they both should do better and have more RBI opportunities.

I thought the Tigers got rid of Gary Sheff last year so the didn’t have a guy that couldn’t really play the field to well and so he wouldn’t block the DH spot for guys that needed a break. So why would they want Damon?

The fact the continue to trot Maggs and Carlos out to the corners says they’re more then prepared to tolerate another below average outfielder. Who’s a better fielder at the moment? Maggs or Damon? The answer is pretty clear to me…

Maybe because after cutting Sheffield, they discovered the error of their ways? (i.e. missing out on a .372 OBP). Seriously though, that was a pretty terrible idea for a team that was hoping to compete. If the Red Sox could find a taker for Lowell, I would think the Tigers could have been able to move Sheff.

However, the difference in defense between Damon and Sheff is pretty considerably too. Damon, while bad (-12 UZR/150), is not hobbled like Sheffield (-30 UZR/150). You can at least play the guy responsibly.

Maybe because after cutting Sheffield, they discovered the error of their ways? (i.e. missing out on a .372 OBP). Seriously though, that was a pretty terrible idea for a team that was hoping to compete. If the Red Sox could find a taker for Lowell, I would think the Tigers could have been able to move Sheff.

However, the difference in defense between Damon and Sheff is pretty considerably too. Damon, while bad (-12 UZR/150), is not hobbled like Sheffield (-30 UZR/150). You can at least play the guy responsibly.

I’m surprised the White Sox are bringing in Daniel Cabrera on a minor league deal, I hadn’t heard about that. He’s a longshot to make the team, obviously, but he’s always intrigued me. If he ever gained any semblance of control he would be a monster.

I didn’t see anything wrong with Dave’s comment. He is right, at this point, Cabrera’s chances of becoming even a below average MLB pitcher are pretty unlikely. Dude looks like he’s completely lost it.

Steve – it was nothing personal, hence the smiley. I guess I get tired of hearing “if Cabrera can only start to find the strike zone” or “man, if Rich Harden and Ben Sheets could only stay healthy”…that sort of thing.

Additionally, if he keeps eating jelly donuts- he will also be a monster. But yah, Danny Cabrera is always intriguing though at this point I don’t think he’ll ever put it together. He used to have bad control, but now he has bad control and he seems to be losing velocity and fitness.

But in any event, that gives him 2 possible ways to be a monster. And that’s easily worth a contract.

Raburn is classified as a “utility” but Im dumbfounded as to why he isn’t the everyday left fielder. Positive UZR numbers at LF, an .891 OPS and 16 HR’s in only 261 AB’s. Not to mention he is young and cost controlled.

For what it is worth Raburn was used almost entirely against left-handed pitching and has a relative small sample size in left-field. As it stands right now the Tigers currently have one left-handed hitter in their lineup and no one remotely close to resembling a lead-off hitter. Damon would fit the bill and give them some much needed speed. Raburn would still play 4 games a week spelling Guillen, Damon and Ordonez which could prevent his option from vesting.

For what it is worth Raburn was used almost entirely against left-handed pitching and has a relative small sample size in left-field. As it stands right now the Tigers currently have one left-handed hitter in their lineup and no one remotely close to resembling a lead-off hitter. Damon would fit the bill and give them some much needed speed. Raburn would still play 4 games a week spelling Guillen, Damon and Ordonez which could prevent his option from vesting.

I think Daniel Cabrera is a good depth signing if one of the pitchers goes down for a minute. I cant see why the Sox wouldnt be able to get him going. Not saying he is Greg Maddux but I think he has some sort of potential. Doesnt bother me a bit.
Would love to have seen Jordan Danks make the team but they have too many OF options as it is. I heard on MLB network that they are thinking of bringing back Thome. NOOO PLEASE NOOOO. Saw him look silly striking out too many times past two years to think he could be everyday DH. Maybe give him 300 ABs at most and sign him on the cheap but not just hand him the everyday job.

Thome can still hit you around 30 HRS Im not disputing that at all. But he is too slow to get out of his own way and srtikes out at a ridiculous rate. Sure there are worse options but at some point you just have to move on from the slow plodding slugging dinosaurs.

30 per season, or 30 over the remainder of his career? And is there a difference? I have trouble seeing Thome being healthy enough to hit 30 in a season though personally. At some point you just get too gimpy to put at the plate.

It is a bit oddly timed that the day after it was mentioned that Scott Boras really needs a mystery team to pump up Damon’s value to the Braves, Heyman suddenly has one. Well timed Universe… well timed.

If the Tigers sign Johnny Damon instead of giving a shot to Casper Wells, Brennan Boesch, WIlkin Ramirez or even Clete Thomas (one last chance, that is), then they must know something I don’t about the rest of the AL Central this year…

If the Tigers sign Johnny Damon instead of giving a shot to Casper Wells, Brennan Boesch, WIlkin Ramirez or even Clete Thomas (one last chance, that is), then they must know something I don’t about the rest of the AL Central this year…

“Rich_in_NJ Heyman is doing his best to pump up Damon for Boras.”Heyman is a disgrace to the writing profession with all the ballwashing he does for Scott Boras and his clients. Then I see him on MLB Network saying there was no mystery team for Holliday, well of course not, you were the idiot operating as Boras’s mouthpiece. Now he seems obsessed with linking Damon to someone, how would Heyman know Damon’s #’s in Comerica unless someone gave it to him, hint, hint Boras, to try and drum up interest and maybe milk the Braves for a few extra coins offered to Damon. This is too obvious and pathetic. I doubt Heyman is sitting around looking up Damon’s numbers in Detroit at his lonesome. Being spoon fed like the mouthpiece he is for Boras. Hence this line the other day on this very subject. “Scott Boras is going to have to cook up a mystery team if he’s going to get the Braves to overpay for Damon.”

“Rich_in_NJ Heyman is doing his best to pump up Damon for Boras.”Heyman is a disgrace to the writing profession with all the ballwashing he does for Scott Boras and his clients. Then I see him on MLB Network saying there was no mystery team for Holliday, well of course not, you were the idiot operating as Boras’s mouthpiece. Now he seems obsessed with linking Damon to someone, how would Heyman know Damon’s #’s in Comerica unless someone gave it to him, hint, hint Boras, to try and drum up interest and maybe milk the Braves for a few extra coins offered to Damon. This is too obvious and pathetic. I doubt Heyman is sitting around looking up Damon’s numbers in Detroit at his lonesome. Being spoon fed like the mouthpiece he is for Boras. Hence this line the other day on this very subject. “Scott Boras is going to have to cook up a mystery team if he’s going to get the Braves to overpay for Damon.”

As a Tiger’s fan, I don’t understand this rumor at all. They’ve already got a crowded outfield with Jackson, Ordonez, Guillen, Raburn, Thomas, Ramirez, and Wells all competing for starting jobs. Maybe as a roadblock to get in Ordonez’s way of his 2011 option vesting? I don’t know…I just don’t understand this one…

having Thome and Konerko in the line up together,as we saw last year was a problem. When it takes 3 hits to score a run or the doule play opportunities for the opposition was unaccepable.The Sox do need a lefty with power,just a little more speed.Let Ozzie have the opportunity to play “Ozzie ball”, he now has the players in place to do so for the first time as a manager.Will Ozzie ball work tn a home run friendly park,I guess we’ll find out

having Thome and Konerko in the line up together,as we saw last year was a problem. When it takes 3 hits to score a run or the doule play opportunities for the opposition was unaccepable.The Sox do need a lefty with power,just a little more speed.Let Ozzie have the opportunity to play “Ozzie ball”, he now has the players in place to do so for the first time as a manager.Will Ozzie ball work tn a home run friendly park,I guess we’ll find out